Roseburg

Roseburg may not get the credit that he deserved for finishing third in the Coronation Cup.

In the race ostensibly as a pacemaker for the favourite Postponed, he was ridden like a pacemaker, Jack Mitchell had a look after three furlongs to see where Postponed was, and he steadies the pace accordingly in order to allow the field catch up. As a result, it is unlikely that Roseburg was ridden with maximum efficiency. Even so, he kicked clear at the top of the home straight, he came away from good horses. He was ultimately run down by Postponed and Found, but they are top class middle distance horses, and he kept on well enough to beat high class horses Second Step and Arabian Queen.

Roseburg may be seen as ‘only’ a pacemaker, and that might be a mistake. He is better than that. There is a chance that he will be consistently deployed now as Postponed’s pacemaker, which would be a shame, because he deserves his shot at a good race now.

The handicapper raised him 7lb to a mark of 113, but he deserves his chance in Pattern company now. He was gelded during the winter, it is probable that he can improve for that, and he will be of interest wherever he goes next. He will even be of each-way interest probably at a massive price if he is deployed – as seems likely – as Postponed’s pacemaker next time in the King George.